Brake drum



.J. 57 SKELLY Feb. 23, 1932.

BRAKE DRUM Filed Sept. 25, 1930 INVENTOR 90am 3. Ma,

Patented Feb. 23, 1932 PATENT OFFICE JOHN S. SKELLY, OF MONONGAHELA, PENNSYLVANIA BRAKE DRUM Application filed September 25, 1930. Serial No. 484,252.

This invention relates to a braking system for oil and gas well drilling equipment and more particularly to an improved air-cooled type of brake drum. The hoists used in drilling such as the bull wheel, calf wheel and sand reel etc., are commonly designed so' that the fall of the suspended tools is controlled by a manually operated friction brake which is mounted on the reel shaft adjacent to and closely connected to the drum head of the reel. The brake is com monly of the external contracting type in which the brake band extends around the outside of the drum brake. Owing to the great depth at which wells are drilled and to the speed at which the tools are lowered into the well it is necessary to use the brake for a considerable period of time to stop the tools and excessive heating of the brake drum results. Often times, the brake obtains a temperature of 800 F. These temperatures greatly weaken the brake drum and the adjacent drum head of the reel and cause ultimate failure of the parts. Sev- 2 eral experiments such as making the brake drum from various kinds of alloys and providing water cooling systems for the brake have been tried for overcoming this difliculty of excessive heating, but none have proved to be successful.

One object of this invention is to provide an air cooled braking system for drilling operations.

Another object of this invention is to provide a brake drum in which radiating fins or vanes are employed for drawing the heat from the braking surface and for circulating air therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide a brake drum in which air is caused to circulate by deflectors carriedon the drum head of the reel.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a brake cooling system for drilling operations that is simple of construction, economical of cost and positive in operation:

These and other objects of this invention which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this particular art are attained by the hereinafter described invention, one em bodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a brake drum embodying this invention mounted on the shaft of a drum reel.

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section on the line lIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a partial view in section taken on line lIIIII of Fig. 1; and

Fig. -l is a partial view in section taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

I Fig. is a partial view showing the arrangement of the spokes.

In general this invention comprises a drum reel such as the bull wheels, sand reels, etc., used in drilling operations having a brake drum provided with spokes adjacent to and mounted on one of the drum heads of the reel.

The outer periphery of the brake drum forms a braking surface around which a. manually operated brake band extends. The spokes of the brake drum are fan or propeller shaped and are disposed on the hub of the drum at an angle so that an air passage is formed between the drum head and the braking surface of the brake drum. The brake drum is also provided with radiatin vanes or lins on the inner periphery thereo? which draw the heat from the braking surface. The radiating fins in cooperation. with the fan shaped spokes cause air to circulate within the brake drum. The drum head of the reel is also provided with deflectors which are placed thereon in such a way that they will direct the air through the air passages against the braking surface of the brake drum so that on applying the brake, the heat created by the friction of the band on the braking surface will be taken from the brake drum by the air.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a. drum reel used in drilling operations having drum heads 11 and 12 on each end thereof between which is wound the cable (not shown) supporting the drilling tools (not shown). The drum reel is mounted on a shaft 13 which also supports a drum 14. The drum bl comprises a hub 17 which is connected to a braking surface 18 by spokes 15.

The spokes 15 are disposed at an angle to the hub and braking surface of the drum so as to form a fan or propeller for circulating air within the drum. The brake drum is secured to the reel by bolts 16 which extend through the drum head 11 and the hub 17 thereof so that the brake drum will rotate with the reel. The braking surface 18 formed on the outer periphery of the brake drum is engaged by a manually operated brake band (not shown).

The braking surface 18 is spaced from the drum head 11 so as to form an air passage 19 therebetween. Air is caused to circulate through the passage 19 by deflectors 2O fastened on the drum head. The brake drum 14 has heat radiating vanes or fins 21 extending inwardly from the inner surface of the face 18 which draw the heat created during braking from the face of the drum and transmit it to the circulating air. The vanes and spokes cooperate to create circulation of air within the brake drum. being lowered into the well, the reel and brake drum are rotating at a high rate of speed causing the deflectors 20 to force air into the air passage between the drum head and the braking surface. The fan shaped spokes and radiating vanes set up circulation of air within the brake drum, which retards some what the rate of speed at which the reel is traveling due to the resistance of the air on the deflectors, spokes and radiatin vanes, so that less braking is required. hen the brake is applied, the friction between the the brake drum to heat. The fins or vanes 21 radiate the heat, drawn from the braking surface, and the circulating air carries the heat from the brake drum preventing it from becoming excessively heated. The fins or vanes are fan shaped and extend at an angle across the inner surface so that a larger radiating surface is obtained which will quickly give up the heat drawn from the braking surface.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is readily apparent that certain chan es, additions or omissions may be made t ereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a drum reel for a standard drilling rig, of a brake drum mounted on said reel and having a braking surface on the outer periphery thereof, means on said reel for directing air against said braking surfaces, means for drawing the heat from said braking surface and means for creating an air circulation in said drum.

2. A brake for a drum reel used in drilling operation comprising a brake drum mounted on one of the drum heads of said reel, :1 braking surface on the outer periphery of When the tools are said brake drum, an air passage between the drum head of said reel and said braking surface, means for directing air into said air passage, means for drawing the heat from said braking surface and means for causing the air to circulate within said brake drum.

3. A brake for a drum reel used in drilling operations comprising a brake drum adjacent the drum head of said reel, a braking surface on the outer periphery of said brake drum, an air space between said braking sur face and said drum head, and means for preventing excessive heating of said brake, said means including deflectors on said drum head adapted to circulate air through said air passage, spokes disposed fanwise within said brake drum for circulating air within said drum, and vanes on the inner periphery of said brake drum for radiating the heat from said braking surface.

4. A brake for a drum reel usedin drilling operation comprising a brake drum mounted on one of the drum heads of said reel and having a braking surface spaced from said drum head forming an air passage therebetween, means for directing air into said air passage, means for radiating heat from said braking surface and means for circulating air within said brake drum.

5. The combination with a reel having spaced drum heads, of a brake drum secured to one of the drum heads, a braking surface on the outer periphery of said brake drum,

spokes disposed fanwise within said brake drum, said spokes being disposed so as to.

space said braking surface from said drum head to form an air passage therebetween, deflectors on said drum head for circulating air through the passage between the drum head and the braking surface, and vanes on said brake drum for radiating the heat from said braking surface and circulating air in the brake drum.

6. The combination with a reel used in drilling operations and having spaced drum heads, of a brake drum mounted on one of said drum heads and having a braking surface on the outer periphery thereof, spokes disposed fanwise within said brake drum spacing said braking surface from the drum head of said reel forming an air passage therebetween, means on said drum head for circulating air into said air passages, and means for radiating the heat from said braking surface.

7. A drum reel for drilling operations having a brake drum mounted thereon, means for cooling said brake drum, said means including air deflectors on said reel, radiatin vanes on the inner periphery of said bra e drum, and spokes disposed fanwise within said brake drum.

8. In combination with a drum reel for drilling operations, a brake drum mounted on said reel having a braking surface, spokes disposed fanwise in said brake drum for circulating air therein, said spokes being shaped so as to space the braking surface from said reel for forming an air pass e therebetween, deflectors on said reel for circulating air around said braking drum, and means on said brake drum adapted to cooperate with said 'spokes for circulating air within said brake drum and for radiating the heat from said braking surface.

9. The combination with a reel, of a drum mounted thereon and having a braking surface spaced therefrom, spokes disposed at an angle within said drum so as to form a fan for circulating air therein, means for radiating heat from said braking surface, and means for directing air through the space between said braking drum and said reel.

10. The combination with a reel, of a drum mounted thereon and having a braking surface spaced from said reel, spokes disposed at an angle within said drum for forming a fan for circulating air therein, vanes extending across said drum at an angle thereto for radiating heat from said braking surface, and means for directing air through the space between said drum and said reel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 19th day of September, 1930.

JOHN S. SKELLY.

disposed fanwise in said brake drum for circulating air therein, said spokes being shaped so as to space the braking surface from said reel for forming an air passage therebetween, deflectors on said reel for circulating air around said braking drum, and means on said brake drum adapted to cooperate with said spokes for circulating air within said brake drum and for radiating the heat from said braking surface. 7

9. The combination with a reel, of a drum mounted thereon'and having a braking surface spaced therefrom, spokes disposed at an angle within said drum so as to form a fan for circulating air therein, means for radiating heat from said braking surface, and means for directing air through the space between said braking drum and said reel.

10. The combination with a reel, of a drum mounted thereon and having a braking surface spaced from said reel, spokes disposed at an angle within said drum for forming a fan for circulating air therein, vanes extending across said drum at an angle thereto for radiating heat from said braking surface, and means for directing air through the space between said drum and said reel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 19th day of September, 1930.

JOHN S. SKELLY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,846,816.

Granted February 23, 1932, to

JOHN S. SKELLY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Page 2, line 35, after "the" second occurrence insert the words brake hand and the braking surface 18 causes; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Off ice.

(Seal) Signed and sealed this 12th day of April, A. D. I932.

M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,846,816. Granted February 23, 1932, to

JOHN S. SKELLY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 35, after "the" second occurrence insert the words brake band and the braking surface 18 causes; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ollice.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of April, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

